Menarcheal Status and Physical Structure of Punjabi Girls

The present study has been conducted on 301 Punjabi adolescent girls with a view to exploring the relationship between sexual maturity and physical structure. Data in respect of anthropometric measurements and menarcheal status were collected from Ropar District of Punjab during April 1990. Anthropometric measurements have been taken following the standard techniques given by IBP/HA sub committee (Tanner et al., 1969). Status quo information regarding menarcheal status wax collected from the girls Amount of body fat was derived from the equations of Slaughter et al. (1988) and log transformations were applied to the skinfolds before applying any statistics. The data were split up into two groups, viz., early and late maturing on the basis of menarcheal status. Age based comparisons indicate that the early maturing girls have larger body dimensions than the late maturing ones. The menstruating girls are fatter than the non menstruating ones at 13 and 14 years. The menstruating girls have broader physical frame, arc more massive and possess a greater structures of their musculo-skeletal structures. The early maturity is linked to greater physical performance whereas the late maturity brings in other problems related to social adjustments

Anthropometry · Developmental psychology · Geography · Physical development · Political science · Sexual maturity · Social science · Social status · Sociology · Status quo · Demography · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Medicine · Psychology